Scams and dams - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
3/2/476
Log
A large collection of stands has been set up, and carts and travelers alike are lining up in front of them. Huge glass jugs of water sit on display, next to a rather weak river. "COME ON GET YOUR WATER, CAN'T YOU SEE THE RIVERS GONNA BE GONE SOON? DON'T GO THIRSTY! PROTECT YOUR CROPS!" can be heard from a over-dressed shouting Dugong. His top hat and bow-tie complement his suit nicely, all black, an odd choice of dress accompanied by a cane. Behind him dozens of workers move bottles about, almost as if trying to look busy. Golems surround the stands, acting as gargoyles to prevent misanthropes from trying to steal their precious supply. Bite slithers up to the line, looking around it to the salesman as she tilts her head, rather perplexed why anyone would want to bottle water.
Ariella steps up behind Bite, having tailed her subtly for a while, reaching out to pat the taipan on the head, looking around at the scene. "Hey love. Am I the only one asking where they got the water in the first place?" she asks, folding her arms, staring around at the congregation. "Also wondering if this crowd would appreciate a juggler."
Selena paces down the riverbank, looking rather disdainful of the 'water merchant' operation as she approaches. The wolf nods to Bite in acknowledgement as the Taipan comes into view. "Nah. But I have a feeling if we went upstream some more we'd find out." She comments, overhearing the pair's conversation. "And how are you two today?"
Dressed like a steel fortress with her armor Kilsa calmly steps out toward the Dugong, "Greetings. Could you inform me as to why this river is will be gone soon." She lean down low enough that he can see the symbol of the Creators church on her armor. "Hey!" She stands up and waves at the group that gathered before turning her attention to the Dugong, "How much is the water your selling?"
Mirana continuing to disguise herself as Holly Teatherman walks up shortly behind Kilsa. "You can hear the commation all the way back into town. Do problems like this happen often here?" She faigns ignorance. Looking over to Bite and Selena she gives a slight wink and walks over to them, "Well, bottling water is good if you are going on a long trip, but you could just bottle it yourself." She'd made sure to pick up a new staff so it wouldn't be easy to recognise as hers and has her locket carefully tucked away.
The dugong smiles to Kilsa. "Well my lady, allow me to sort this out for you. You see the river is drying up." he says as he points his cane over to the rather low river. "There won't be enough water downstream for the farmlands to work with that's for sure, and what about the poor shanty folk? Firmament needs this water, so we've devised a method to deliver it to them. It's twelve crowns for the hefty ones, you get the bottle and all, or six crowns for the scrawny ones, bottle and all. You use it up, bring it back, our skilled mages will work their magic, go up the mountainis, clean em out, fill em up with pure clean water an bring em back for you to pick up for a meager three crowns to compensate the labor. You must know how valueable time is, not everyone can spare it, even fewer folk know nuff water magic to do this themselves. If you'd like some good lady, I'd be more than happy to help you from the back of the line, status or not you can't skip ahead of these nice folk." Most of the crowd smiles, a few "Yeah no cuttin lady"s and the like coming out for the badger. Bite giggles at Holly and hisses "Oh just fine sssweetie, but I wonder what all this is really about."
Ariella snorts, shaking her head and looking around at the group. "Hey Holly, Sel. What say you we take a walk upstream? Should be a fun trip and we'd satisfy curiousity a lot better than this bag of wind," the lioness says, raising her voice intentionally at the last half of the sentence, making sure the dugong can hear her. She raises a hand to get the badgers attention, waving her over. "You come too, you owe us for watching our show, right?" she teases, winking at Kilsa.
Selena waves across to the badger, looking comparatively unconcerned with the line. "Hello again, Holly." She greets the disguised fox a little tiredly. "Makes more than one of us that thinks this whole thing is sketchy." She comments in response, and continues with a sarcastic roll of her eyes, "I like the part where he explained that the river is drying up because the river is drying up in particular. I already suggested little hike to take a look, so yes. I'm in on that." She comments. "Rivers don't just dry up like that without intervention." the wolf states a little louder.
"I don't want to cut in line but I would rather not watch other be swindled. I want a full keg for all those in line." She counts everyone up and drops 240 crown into the dugong's hand. "Also I will be coming back to set up a huge deliever but let me go speak to my friends first." She smiles sweetly before catching up with the other and following along the river.
Kilsa spends 240 Crown for RP reasons.
Mirana listens to the prices and whistles, "Yeah.. better to bottle it yourself. And sure, not sure how much help I'll be in investigating this out, but I'll come along. You are right, umm... not sure I ever made your aqcuatance Miss Wolf, Holly, Holly Teatherman. But you are right, rivers doing just dry up. And Bite, think you'd like to come see too?" she offers as she waits for Kilsa to join them.
The dugong blinks and starts filling orders, everyone rushing forward and causing a bit of chaos as they wait for their water bottles. Bite stops herself mid motion, she was going to plant a kiss on Ariella's cheek but instead she gives her a look and a smirk, then hisses "Sure sssweetie i'd be happy to come along, i'll lead." as she strolls off towards the mountains, walking along the river. "Come on sssweeties." she hisses.
Ariella falls into step beside Bite, stretching her arms above her head. "Well, this is better than anything else I planned today," she says, talking loud enough for the part to hear but addressing herself to Bite. "Romantic walk! You... Me... All our friends and a dried up river bed," the lioness jokes, still keeping half an eye on the flow of water.
Selena smirks, following along behind the taipan. She gestures to 'Holly' and notes, "I've heard your name at the inn. Apparrently you're quite to performer. Sorry; I'm Selena." She offers, holding a hand out to the girl, though she doesn't stop walking along. "Not my idea of romantic, Ariella, but sure. Whatever you say." The wolf chuckles dryly.
Mirana takes Selena's hand very shakingly, never having done that kind of greeting before, but gives her a gentle handshake, "Nice.. to meet you Selena." She looks over to Bite and Ariella and quivers a bit, but goes on. "Well, lets take a look at things shall we?"
Kilsa follow the group and look at Mirana, "Your that dancer from before. Holly.. was it? What bring you out here?" She asked while looking over the river and shaking her head, "Decided to take a break from being a fluid work of art to find a missing river?" She joked and walks a little further ahead.
As they travel up river, they come to a place where the water can be seen. A blockade in the river is preventing the liquid from flowing properly. Bite gigglels at the group and looks over the blockage, hissing "Sssweeties we found the source of the problem I think."
Ariella had been turning to say something to Kilsa on the subject of art when something catches her eye. She frowns for a moment, reaching up to clap the badger on the shoulder. "Looks like your type of thing," the lioness says, massaging her aching fingers and slipping into the shade of the trees beside the path, her fur blending into the gloom save for the shining of her peircings.
